§ 13. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what financial provisions are being made for the dependants of the ratings lost in His Majesty's submarine "Poseidon"; and whether any immediate payments are being made?
Mr. ALEXANDERPayment of a qualifying allotment and of full marriage allowance is being made in the case of widows already in receipt of marriage allowance, for a period of four weeks following the date of notification of the husband's death, and forms of application for pension have been sent to all widows. Payment of pension under the authorised scale will commence as from the date of cessation of the qualifying allotment and marriage allowance. Payment of allowances to other dependants found to be eligible for grants will commence from the day following the date of the rating's death.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYHow do these various pensions compare with the pensions that would be paid if these men had been killed in action?
Mr. ALEXANDERI would like to have notice of that question. If my hon. and gallant Friend desires a comparison, I shall be able to supply the information.
Captain HALLWill the right hon. Gentleman remember that if these men had lost their lives in civilian life, the amount of compensation would be vastly in excess of what their dependants will receive; and will he do his best to assist them, as some of them are, to my knowledge, in difficult circumstances?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe position is that we shall pay the same rates as we should pay for attributable pensions. Further to the supplementary question of the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Ken-worthy), I do not think that these rates are the same as those paid in respect of deaths attributable to the late War, as the scales have been revised since then.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI mean if they were killed in an action on a Chinese river, for instance.
Captain HALLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the scale is only 10s. to 14s. a week, which is very poor in these days?